Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Today's Headshot Victim: Dean McAmmond

Head shots, in case you don't know, are the NHL's biggest problem that needs to be fixed NOW!

Workhorse Dean McAmmond is the latest victim of a cheap shot ...

Senators centre Dean McAmmond left Tuesday night's game against Philadelphia with a concussion after he was sent to the ice by a flying body check by Flyers prospect Steve Downie.

McAmmond had lost possession of the puck early and skated behind the Philadelphia net when he was checked hard by Downie at 2:39 of the second period. Downie's feet left the ice before the violent collision.

Senators team doctor Don Chow immediately went to McAmmond's aid even as players from both teams squared off in the aftermath.

Ottawa enforcer Brian McGrattan went after Downie, who was assessed a match penalty for the hit on McAmmond. McGrattan got a misconduct and a game misconduct in addition to his major for fighting with Philadelphia's Jesse Boulerice.

Watch the NHL totally soft-pedal the issue and give Downie a small suspension.

Why, why, why doesn't the NHL come down hard on idiots like this? Head shots are some of the most dangerous activities an NHL player can do to another, and it just seems to be getting worse these days.

This kind of stuff drives me crazy. And it always seems like thugs like Downie doing it. Even if he didn't leave his feet, even if he didn't throw an elbow, even if it wasn't a late hit or a charge, this should be penalized.

was at the game...it was a shot that would have made you sick...good clean checks are one thing...that was something totally different...the League has to put its foot down once and for all...first Pronger, now Downie...how much more can one guy take? will be hoping & praying for dean & his family.

Utterly ridiculous. Wherever he ends up playing this season, he needs to be suspended for a length of time that indicates to everyone (fans/league/players) that this type of thing is NO LONGER TOLERATED. He wanted to make sure someone got "hurt" in retaliation for receiving a good check by Schubert so he goes out and simply clocks the first vulnerable target at warp speed.

Where's the respect? Why wasn't the target of his ire someone he was facing head on instead of from a blind side and how about someone who at least had the puck? And I will not buy the "excuse" that some will undoubtedly spew out there about Dean, that "he was admiring his pass" and is partly to blame for getting concussed. Well, that's a bush-league cover-up for guys who deliver these types of hits. Make it head-on and fair or wait until it is, how hard is that to compute?

I bet the league turtles on this one just like any other previous nonsensical judgments they've handed out...

It is quite simple. Start suspending the player who does it for half the season automatically. If the player who is hit can not return then the player who did it should be suspended until the one hit returns to the same level as before they were hit. It would only take one guy losing a season before it stopped. The players Union is at fault as well since they only protect the hitter and not the player who gets hit.

I guess the good thing is that Downie got 20 games for it and it kinda sets a precedent (we'll see if they hand the same suspension to someone like Pronger), but what really really sucks is the way it's all going to go down. I hope I'm wrong on this, but I heard that he's going to the AHL and will be allowed to play. The Flyers are going to deal with the suspension in chunks, calling him up only when the Phantoms are not playing. If this happens, then Downie basically gets NOTHING for his hit on McAmmond. Sure, you could argue that the suspension was nothing much to begin with, but this is absolutely ridiculous. If you're suspended for something like this, then you should not be allowed to play - AT ALL.